Community policing

Democratic Left has called for the establishment of community policing councils in vulnerable areas to foster cooperation between the Garda Siochana and local residents in tackling the drugs crisis.

The DL spokeswoman for Dublin North Central, Ms Helen Lahert, made the proposal at a meeting of the party's justice and civil liberties committee at the weekend. She said further disturbances, such as those seen in Summerhill last week, would occur unless a mechanism was established to promote co operation between gardai and the communities they police.